MÉTIS Nation

the rich heritage of our mixed culture peoples

Métis are people of mixed European and Indigenous ancestry, and one of the three recognized Aboriginal peoples in Canada. The use of the term Métis is complex and contentious and has different historical and contemporary meanings.

The Métis flag (left) or flag of the Métis Nation features a white infinity sign on a blue background. The infinity symbol represents the mixing of two distinct cultures, European and First Nations, to create a unique and distinct culture, that of the Métis (which means “to mix” in Latin).

Go to this link to learn more about the Metis Nation of Alberta...

Make sure to watch the video! (Also contained in the link above.)

Métis Sash- A symbol of a new culture

The sash was used by the Métis as a practical item of clothing. It was decorative, warm, and could be used to replace a rope to tumpline if none were available. The sash has been the most persistent element of traditional Métis dress, worn long after the capote and the Red River coat were replaced by European styles. Click this link for more history of the Métis sash.

The sash is one of the most recognizable symbol of the Métis people. (click the link for more...)

These days, the sash is mostly used ceremonially, as decoration and to show pride in Métis heritage—worn around the waist or over the shoulder—but the beautiful, bright piece of clothing has a very rich history.

The sash wasn’t only, or originally, used by the Métis. Voyageurs—French Canadians who engaged in the fur trade and travelled by canoe—used a similar kind of sash called un ceinture fleche (Assomption sash) as they paddled west, which were later adopted by the Métis.

Report abuse